Starter for internal-combustion engines.



Patented July 7, 1914.

B. W. DAVENPORT.

STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.16,191Z.

Brass w. mivmrour, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

STARTER m l'NTEBNAl's-OOMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1914.

Appllcaticp filled February 18, 1912. Serial No. 678,080.

To all whom it may concern; I Be it known that I, Bruce W Dnymsroxr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Heunepin and State of Minnesota, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Starters for Internal-Combustion Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to starters for internal combustion engines.

It has for its object to provide an improved device, which is simple construction, reliable and durable in operation and which dispenses with the necessity of crankiz the engine by hand. 2o %)ther checks will become apparent from the following description.

The invention consists of pawl and ratchet mechanism mounted on the engine shaft and actuated by compressed air or otber'suitable means which is transmitted tosaid pawl and ratchetonechauism by a flexible connection extendin" around the periphe'ry of a. wheel or disk qosely mounted on the'ehaft; fiThe ratchet wheels keyed or 3 otherwise made fast to. the shaft. The pawl is ceri'ied by agloose disk wlp'eli isseparate frofirthe' \iiheel vto whichj'the fieaibleeoimecj; stasis ched. Said. awlnormhlly rests '1 out or engagement .wit -,.the "ratchet wheel 3}, but, is 'tlirowiifiuto-ycontact therewith, )vhep.

" the starter iifieratedfiya lug on thelwlieel fcarryinf} exible connection.

. resilient menus; are provided for returning tho starterst'o. its initial position after each cooperation. .-'Ihe JfiWi carryin disk has a ;-stop projecting remits sur ace into the m offthelug' which throws the pawl, stop being adapted. to. be engaged by said lug for returning the pawl-carryingdisk ,toits initial position with the other parts of the starter. 1' The invention also consists in the features ofcoustruction and combinations of parts, 'hereinniterdescribed, illustrated in the ac- 1' view, s owing the position of the parts in which is mounted a piston 52 and to which pocket between the disk 8 arid the sprocket Suitable fiq ggqmpenying drawings, and specified in the" at the end of the operation pf the starter,

and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken through the starter diskslongitudinally of the shaft. Referring moreparticularly to the drawmg, 1 designates a compressed air cylinder 0 compressed air is admitted from any suitable source, not shown, by means of a threeway valve or cock 3. The iston rod 4. pro,- jects through the other'end of the cylinder and to it is connected one end of a sprocket chain 5, which is passed around a sprocket wheel or disk 6, with its other extremity secured thereto. The sprocket wheel 6 is provided with a collar 17,'said wheel G'bemg loosely mounted uponjthe engine shaft 9. Acollar or sleeve 7 is mounted on said shaft 9, said collar 7 having a disk 8 integral therewith and positioned parallel to Said sprocket wheel. This disk 8 is provided at'or near its periphery with a laterally projecting flange or rim 10 extending in an opposite direction to that of the collar or sleeve 7, thereby forming a recess or Wheel 6, for'the purpose of housing the ratchet 12. A slot 13 is formed in the flange or rim 10 in which the pawl 14 is pivoted. Said slot and pawl are arranged at the bottom of the disk below the ratchet when the starter is in its normal position before operation. \Vhen in this position the pawl remains out of engagement with the ratchet by means of gravity. The tail of the pawl projects outwardly through its slot'into the path of the lug 15 rigidly secured to the side of the sprocket wheel. In the normal position of the device this lug lies adjacent to, but out of contact with the tail of the pawl. The pawl-carrying-disk is further provided-with a stop 16 also extending into the path of the lug 15 and normally or ranged near to the other end thereof. To the collar 17 of the sprocket wheel 6, there is attached one end of a flexible wire cable or chain 18, the other end of which is secured to a helical spring 19 fastened to a fixture,

. such as the cylinder 1. The cable or chain 18 winds upon the collar 17 in the opposite direction from that in which the sprocket chain is wound upon-the sprocket wheel. The result is that, when the starter is operat'ed, thespring willbe extended, so that it fwillEeturn. said startegto normal position after-the pressure in the cylinder has-been .110

removed. r The operation of my mventlon is very i and piston to normal positions.

simple. \Vhcn compressed air is admitted to the cylinder behind the piston by-means of the valve or cook 3, the piston rod is forced outwardly, resulting in the rotation witlrthc ratohet so that further rotation of the sprocket wheel will cause the engine shaft to be rotated and the engine started thereb 'ben the piston has reached the end of itsputward stroke and the engine has been started, the pressure behind the piston in the cylinder is removed by stlitably' adjusting the three-way valveor rock 3. Assoon as this pressure i removed the s n ing operates to return the sprocket wheel As already captained the lug on the sprocket wheel engages the. stop on the. pawlearrying-disk and returns the latter to the normal position withisaid sproekct wheel.

' l clniniz--- ,hln a starter for internal combustion engines, the combination, with a ratchet faston the engine shaft. of ,a -tlt.\l( mounted loosely on' said sha ft. a pawl pivoted on said dis having a log adapted to engage said 'pawl amt vthrow it into contact with the ratchet when (said "la.-t"nu' ut ioned disk is rotated, and 'in ai s to rotate said disk for the purpose speeil ied.

, lglnfia, starter tor-internal. eombustlon engines, the tft)tlll )lll;tlt()ll, with a ratchet fast on the engine shaft,a disk loosely mountedon. said shaft, a pawl pivoted on said disk bel w the ratrhet; and uormallylying out of eiigagement therewith, another loose'disk eat-t ring a'lug adapted to throw the pawl into contact! with the ratchet whenx aid last, mentioned disk'is rotated, a sto) on the .pawl ca rr ving list: at thootlier si e of said lug; means to rotate the 'lug-carryi'n -disk, "and means to automatically return sui disks. to nornial posit ion after (".(h op e'atinn.

lernal combustion,

it. in a starter for in engines, the combination, ivlth a ratchet fast:

-on the engine shaft, of a t isk loosely mounted'on'said shaft and having a. laterally extending tlangefon its periphery housing said ratchet, said flange having a slot therein, a

pawl piv oted in said slot and normally arranged below the ratchet the tail of said i pawl projecting outwardly through said slo't, another loose disk carrying 0. lug adapted to engage the tail of the pawl for throwsaid pawl into contact with-the ratchet;

lt la-low the ratchet, another loos disk when said last mentioned disk is rotated, and means to rotate said disk for the purpose specified.

4. In a starter for internal combustion engines, the combination, with a ratchet fast on the engine shaft, of a disk loosely mounted on said shaft and having a laterall extending flange on its periphery, said llange having a slot therein, a pawl mounted in Said slot below the ratchet and normally lying out of engagement therewith, the tail of the pawl extending outwardly through said slot, another loose disk having :1 lug adapted to engage the tail of the pawl lor throwing said pawl into contact with the ratchet .when said last mentioned disk is rotated, a

stop on saidpawl-earrying-disk at the other side of said lug, means to rotate said lugcarrying-disk. and means to automatically return said disk to the normal position after each operation.

:l. in a. starter for internal combustion engines, the combination, with a ratchet fast on the engine shaft, of a disk loosely mounted on the shaft, a pawl pivoted on said disk and normally lying out of engagement therewith, another loose disk having a projecting collar, a lug on said last mentioned disk adapted to throw the pawl into contact with the ran-hot when said disk is rotated, a stop on the pawl-carrying-disk at the other side of said lug, means to rotate said lug-carryi'ngalisk, and a spring having one. end serured to it lixtllre and the other end connet-ted to the collar on-said last mentioned disk, whereby both disks are automatically returned to normal position after each opera-t ion.

6. In a starter for internal combustion engines, the'combination with a ratchet fast on the cngino shnft, a disk loosely mounted on .saidshtt ft, a pawl pivoted on said disk and normally: lying out of engagement with said ratchet, another loose disk having meansfor throwingthe awl into contact; with the 'ratclvt when said last mentioned disk isrotated, a cylinder, :1 piston mounted in said cylinder, and having a "piston rod extending through the end of the same flexible connection between said piston rod and the last'lnentioned disk, which is passed around the latter, and means for reciproeating the piston.

ln testimony whereof, I atlix my signatitre, in presence of two witnesses.-

BIRGE W. DAVENPORT. Witnesses 'l). 15. Lrxcu, 4L. Nansen.- 

